Officers in deadly CU shooting named

BOULDER - The names of the officers involved in a deadly shooting earlier this week on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder were released Friday.

Officer Clay Austin is with the University of Colorado Police Department. He's been an officer with the department for four years.

Officer Jason Connor is a three-year veteran of the Boulder Police Department. Both are on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete, which is standard procedure.

Just after 9 a.m. Wednesday several people called 911 to report a man armed with a machete inside the Champions Center.

Officers from campus police and Boulder police responded to the scene.

According to investigators, when officers encountered the armed suspect in a stairwell, he did not comply with verbal commands and then advanced on officers. Both Officer Austin and Officer Connor discharged their firearms.

The Boulder County Investigation Team is the lead investigation team is taking over the investigation.

On Thursday the coroner identified the suspect as Brandon Simmons, 28, of Thornton. According to a source close to the investigation, a woman was sitting in her car when Simmons walked up and scrawled references to the Ten Commandments on one of the vehicle’s windows.

Investigators believe there are likely still witnesses who they have not talked with and are asking individuals who were in the area when the incident occurred to call Sgt. Brian Lindsey with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office at 303-441-4917.